December 22, 1997 recap | Buy a Vowel Boards

December 22, 1997 recap May 23, 2021 10:50:08 GMT -5

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Post by mechamind on May 23, 2021 10:50:08 GMT -5

Airdate: December 22, 1997

From Sony Pictures Studio, it's America's game! Happy Holidays! (Though it's a little early.)

Here for the holidays:
Milt Holmes: Grandfather and retired minister, currently doing volunteer work with a local hospital and police; from Nampa, ID
Dawn Dahlstrom: "Automated litigation support specialist", from Carteret, NJ
Joe Starr: In Colorado's U.S. Air Force Academy (...and has freckles on his tongue?!), from Riverside, CA

The top-dollar value on the Wheel is $1,000...and now all we need is some sparkly red to compliment it, but where would we find it?

For this week, the SURPRISE wedge is changed to green with a gift box on top of it.

Round 1

EVENT

MILT	Dawn	Joe
$550: R (x2) $250: S (x2) $250: T (x2) -$250: A (x2) -$250: E $250: G (DUD!)	$700: C (x2) $400: H $250: F (x2) Solve: Correct!
$1,600	$2,300

Milt's scoreboard goes blank sometime before he loses his turn.

EVENT

Dawn solves OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY.

Milt	Dawn	Joe
	$2,300

"Mr. Office Party" himself is ready to announce a prize. We begin with a Blockbuster Video gift certificate (labeled SHOPPING) worth $2,500.

A round where you take the lead with the $2,500 space and $10,000 prize might be worth rewatching, right?

Round 2

NEXT LINE PLEASE

Milt	DAWN	Joe
	BANKRUPT/$10K! ($0)	$400: S $250: R (x3) $900: T -$250: E (x3) $250: N -$250: A (DUD!)
		$1,800
Surprise: D (x2) $600: V $900: W SHOPPING: L $500: M (x4) Solve: Correct!
$3,500+

After Milt picks up the SHOPPING wedge, Pat does some work to place it underneath the Surprise wedge because of the gift box.

NEXT LINE PLEASE

Milt solves TWELVE DRUMMERS DRUMMING to keep the Blockbuster credit. Before we get to the gift box, he can score $2,000 more if he knows the next line.

He has no idea. The line is eleven pipers piping...and Pat thinks "ten gerbils jogging" is next.

We're having too much fun, so let's get to the gift box...which says "I'm going to the Cayman Islands! Tell me about it, Charlie!", includes a stay at Beach Club Colony resort, and is worth $6,666!

Milt	Dawn	Joe
$12,666	$2,300

Pat's having enough trouble with the prize wedges, so we'll go easy on him. You don't have to lift up the $3,500 or Jackpot spaces.

Round 3

STAR & ROLE

Milt	Dawn	JOE
		$3,500: S BANKRUPT! ($3,500)

$550: R (DUD!)	$800: N (x3) -$250: A (x3) BANKRUPT! ($2,150)	$550: T $550: L $400: M (x2) -$250: E (x3) $400: H (x3) -$250: U (x2) $900: J -$250: I $900: F (DUD!)
		$3,250
Lose A Turn!	$550: B $500: C Solve: Correct!
	$1,050

STAR & ROLE

Dawn reads what's on the board.

Milt	Dawn	Joe
$12,666	$3,350

As if Milt didn't have his early Christmas already. He could hit the $5,000 space on the Wheel!

Round 4

PHRASE

MILT	Dawn	Joe
$250: R $400: S $250: T (x2)
$1,150

PHRASE

DING DING! DING DING!

Perhaps we've been having too much fun. Now Pat will give the Wheel a Final Spin, and consonants will be worth... $250 a piece.

Milt: L ($1,400)
Dawn: F (DUD!)
Joe: N ($250)
Milt: H (x2) ($1,900)
Dawn: B ($250)
Joe: M (DUD!)
Milt: K ($2,150)

PHRASE

Milt solves LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE.

Milt	Dawn	Joe
$14,816	$3,350

If only there was a "bright side" for Joe in this moment. He couldn't score, so he's leaving with the nice parting gifts.

BONUS ROUND:

Milt is the big winner, but maybe he wanted more? We could give him one of these prizes...

Pair of snowmobiles (over $15,000)
Jeep Cherokee (over $24,000)
Christmas stocking
Chevrolet Venture minivan (over $27,000)
"The cash" ($25,000)

At least Milt can't lose his turn here. He just picks the W from the envelopes, and he'll try this puzzle:

Bonus Puzzle

THINGS

RSTLNE gives him:

THINGS

Bah humbug. We'll try GMPO...

THINGS

He guesses BAGS, BUGS, RUGS. He does not solve HUGS...

...and we hug him before looking at the Jeep Cherokee. Milt finishes with $14,816, which might get him to Friday.